New Neighbors
by ncis7293
Summary: Ziva gets a new loud neighbor who likes to work on his house at all hours of the night and she decides to confront him one night, can they make it as friends or possibly even more?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Ok so I can't believe there is no Ziva and Derek pairings in the Criminal MInds/NCIS crossovers so I decided to change it. So here goes nothing.

*I do not own criminal minds and or NCIS.

* * *

Ziva had had enough! The constant pounding at all hours of the night was getting on her nerves! Normally she would have just ignored it but tonight was different! Not only had she just got off a particularly hard case involving a Mexican drug cartel and some drug pedaling Petty Officers. She had just gotten off of a 5 hour flight from Mexico City with a 3 hour layover in Houston, TX, and all she asked for was one pleasant night of sleep. Does this happen? NO! Instead she is laying in her bed at three in the morning listening to the pounding of hammers and sawing of saws coming from the house next to hers. This had been happening ever since someone had decided to move into the ratty old house next to hers. It had been vacant for nearly a decade before they moved into it, and was broken down and decrepit. Though since they had moved in it had been looking a little better. She hadn't met the person that was moving in there because they weren't there when she decided to drop by her welcoming plate of cookies, though now she was regretting ever haven given them to them. She hadn't seen anybody outside or heck even there during the daytime. Must have another house they lived in or something. She rolled over and put her pillow over her head. That blocked most of the sound out and she started to drift when…CRASH! She jumped up out of bed and had her gun pointed at the wall.

"That's it! I've had enough!" she yelled. She slipped on her flip flops, grabbed her coat and headed out the door and down the side walk to the next door. She walked straight to the door and knocked hard. She stood there waiting in her short cotton shorts and cami with her jacket slung haphazardly over her shoulders. No one came to the door and she knocked again, harder this time. She finally heard the shuffling of feet and the unlocking of a deadbolt. She took a step back prepared for anything. What she saw however wasn't exactly what she expected.

She just stared at the man in front of her. He was a tall dark skinned man with a bald head and brown eyes. But that wasn't what she was looking at. She was looking at his chiseled bare chest covered in saw dust and sweat, and cargo pants that hung low on his waist with a pair of work boots. She was shocked at his masculinity all she could do was stare. She forgot for a moment what she was here to do. Then he spoke.

"Can I help you?" He asked looking at his watch. "It's pretty late for a visitor don't you think?" His tone set her on fire again, and he saw the flash of anger that flared through him.

"That is precisely why I am here! You do realize other people live on this street! You could be a little more respectful of the fact they are trying to sleep!" She said with acid in her tone.

"I do realize other people live on this street, but when I got here at eleven no one was home. So would you like to tell me which of the two houses on either side of me you live on?" He said with a sweetness only a really ticked off person could muster. Ziva gestured to her house on the left side of her. The man looked over there and his brow furrowed.

"I didn't realize anybody lived there." He said quietly. "It always looks empty when I'm here during the day."

"That would be because I work long hours, and I wasn't here earlier I just flew in and was trying to get some rest before I have to be in to work at oh six hundred. Sorry six in the morning for you." He just laughed.

"I know military time its ok. I think we got off on the wrong foot." He stuck out his hand toward her. "Derek Morgan." He said.

"Ziva David" She said taking his hand in hers and shook briefly.

"Well Ziva would you like to come in? It's rather cold out here." He gestured inside. She nodded and walked past him into the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Upon entering the house Ziva saw exactly why he had been making so much noise and the probable cause of the ginormous crash earlier. Lying in the middle of the floor of the bottom level was what looked like the ceiling fan of the roof above it. Ziva chuckled, "Looks like you could use some help."

Derek just laughed and said slyly, "That was supposed to happen."

"Sure it was," she said sarcastically, "I take it that was the big crash I heard earlier." She said pointing to the pile of crumpled up ceiling fan in front of her.

"Uh yea, sorry about that. It really was supposed to happen though; just it wasn't supposed to come down that fast. You see I had a fool proof plan involving this rope here," he said indicating a rope laying on the floor next to the pile, "however, I kind of got lost in what I was doing so I went ahead of myself and dropped the fan before I had the rope secure." He reddened slightly and smiled.

"What do you intend on doing with it now?"

"Intend on doing with what?" Derek replied.

"The house! What do you intend on doing with the house?"

"Oh right yea, um well, my original plan was to fix it up and sell it again but I'm probably going to have to put so much into it that I most likely won't gain any profit off it so I might just rent it out or move into it myself."

"Well take it from me; this is a nice neighborhood, especially if you have a family or anything like that." Now she was fishing, she discovered he is most likely not a masked murderer, so time to find out what's behind those beautiful muscles of his.

"Well seeing as how I don't have any family in the area. I don't think I'm going to be too concerned about that." He said chuckling.

"Well I better be getting back to bed, I have an early morning. It was nice meeting you." Ziva said as she made her way to the door.

"Yea nice meeting you too and I'll try to keep it down." He gave her a dazzling smile and she turned to head back to her house. Before she made it to his gate and onto the sidewalk he called,

"Hey were you the one that left the chocolate chip cookies on my porch?"

"Yes that was me why were they no good?" She said, normally her cooking was highly regarded.

"No! I mean yes, they were great. I just didn't know who had made them sense you didn't leave a note." He winked at her and said goodnight then shut the door. He watched through the front window until she was back inside her house and the porch light had been turned off. He smiled to himself and went back to work trying to be as quiet as possible.

When Ziva finally got back in bed it was nearing four o'clock. She groaned and rolled over with the pillow over her head. Luckily for her she fell right to sleep before the noises started too much and she managed to get a couple of hours of sleep before her alarm rang at six o'clock.

* * *

Ziva slouched into work the next morning and almost fell asleep in the elevator on the way up to the squad room. When the elevator dinged she slowly made her way to her desk and sat down heavily, ignoring the glances from Tony she was receiving. She heard as Tony got up from his desk and sat on the corner of hers.

"Late night, Zee-Vah!" He said rather cheerily. She looked up and grimaced.

"As a matter of fact yes, I did have a late night last night. What's it to you?" She snapped.

"Sheesh just asking a question. Who was he?"

"Why does it have to be a he?"

"Ok her then?" He questioned. Ziva stuck her tongue out rather childishly, but justice was served as…Whack!

"Leave her alone Tony!" Gibbs said as he walked in.

"Yes Boss!" Tony said rubbing the back of his head. Ziva smirked at him.

"Ziver."

"Yes Gibbs?"

"You ok?"

"Yes I am fine, just a little tired."

"Well we don't have a case yet so why don't you go down to Abby's lab and crash for about an hour on her futon. I call you if we need you." Gibbs said sitting down at his desk.

"Thank you Gibbs." Ziva said as she grabbed her phone and made her way to the elevator.

"Why when I'm tired do I not get to go crash on Abby's futon but Ziva does?" DiNozzo complained.

"Because the only time you're tired of the morning is when you've been out all night with some bimbo, DiNozzo!" Gibbs said giving DiNozzo his signature stare. DiNozzo just huffed and when back to his paperwork.

Ziva arrived at Abby's lab to loud music and dancing Abby. "Abby!"Ziva yelled over the music.

"Oh hey Ziva! How was your trip to Mexico? Why are you down here? Do we have a case?" Abby said after giving Ziva a bear hug.

"My trip was fine and no we do not have a case. Gibbs sent me down here to borrow your futon. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh yea no problem! It's in my office come on I'll show you!" Abby grabbed Ziva's hand and towed her toward her office. After getting her a blanket and pillow from the cabinet Abby left Ziva in the quiet and turned off the lights. Ziva sighed and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

After working all night on the house Derek Morgan was very thankful he didn't have to go into work the next day unless they got a case, which he prayed they did not. He had headed back to his current apartment around five thirty and took a shower then crashed not even making it to the bed but to the couch instead, and that's exactly where he was when he heard his cell phone ringing in his pocket. Derek groaned and sat up putting the phone to his ear.

"Morgan" He said sleep thick in his voice.

"_Whoa. Someone sounds like they had a rough night." _Prentiss' voice rang on the other end.

"Not really rough just long. I worked on the house till about five thirty. What time is it anyway?" He asked heading to the kitchen to make coffee.

"_Around one in the afternoon. Anyway Hotch called, are day off is over, we have a case in Washington."_

"Wait Washington State or Washington D.C.?"

"_State. Seattle to be exact, but that's all I know."_

"Wait why did Hotch call you? He normally calls me first." Derek questioned. He had always thought Hotch and Emily would make a cute couple but didn't realize if something was going on yet.

"_Hotch asked me to watch Jack last night because Beth was in town and he wanted some alone time with her._" Was that a hint of sadness in his partner's voice?

"Oh ok well I'll be there in twenty." Derek said then hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

_Two weeks later_

Ziva sighed as her car came to a stop in front of her house. It had been a boring day of paperwork and filing. She climbed out of the car and made her way to the front door keys in hand. She looked toward the house on her right or as she liked to think _his house_, it seemed no one was home. She climbed the three steps to her house and paused when she saw the note taped to the front door.

_Hey I came by earlier and you weren't home so I figured I'd leave a note. I saw some guy lurking around you house earlier and thought you should know. I think I scared him off but be careful._

_Derek_

Ziva narrowed her eyes and cast a glance around her. Nothing seemed out of place or abnormal that she could sense but she would keep a look out. She unlocked her door and made sure to lock it back when she entered. She sat her bag on the kitchen table and shrugged off her jacket. She proceeded to the couch and turned on the TV while kicking out of her shoes. She sank into the cushions and before too long was peacefully asleep.

Derek Morgan signed his last piece of paperwork and pushed back from his desk. He couldn't believe Hotch made him come all the way back into work to sign something he could've signed tomorrow. Now he had to drive all the way back to the house through rush hour and then at least get some work done before too late. He placed the paperwork into Hotch's mailbox and swiftly left before anyone else could corner him into staying any longer.

As he pulled into the driveway at the house he was repairing he noticed Ziva's car was in the drive way. He remembered the note her let and wondered if she got it or not. He wondered whether or not he should just make sure and knock on the door. It was only a little after seven, he was surprised she was even home already; normally she didn't get home until eight or nine. He shrugged and said thought, _what the hell why not?_ And walked to her front door. He rang the doorbell once and knocked. He heard what sounded like grumbling and the unlocking of doors before, "Tony I swear to God if you are hear because of some stupid bim—"she stopped abruptly at the sight of Derek.

"Tony a boyfriend?" Derek chuckled.

"Oh hi, and no he is not! More like an annoying older brother. What brings you here?" She yawned

"I just wanted to make sure you got my note." Derek informed.

"What? Oh yeah, yeah I did, Thanks for informing me." They stood there awkwardly until, "Would you like to come in Derek?" Ziva asked.

"Sure why not." He responded. Derek stepped inside and surveyed his surroundings. There were many pictures of a pretty young girl, who he guessed was Ziva, and several other children, and there were numerous pictures of her more recently with the same six people.

Her house was simple but contemporarily designed with black, red and white as the main colors. Ziva lead him into a small but effective kitchen.

"I don't have coffee but would you like some tea?" Ziva asked.

"Yes please." He replied. Ziva yawned again. "I woke you up again didn't

I?" Derek asked.

"It's ok I need not be sleeping right now anyway." She replied. "Please have a seat." She gestured to the small kitchen table and he took a seat across from her.

"How is the house coming along?" She questioned.

"It's getting there. Still need tons of work however." He chuckled. The tea pot whistled and Ziva got up and poured them both a cup. She sat it down in front of him with a small thing of milk and sugar. He added some sugar to his and took a sip.

"So,"Ziva began, "about this guy. What did he look like?"

"Uh I'd say right around six foot, dressed in what looked like an Italian suit, short brown hair, kind of bratty looking." suddenly Ziva laughed.

"What?!" Derek said

"Nothing it's just I know who the snoop was. It was my partner, Tony, the one I thought was you when you knocked on the door. I asked him to check my mail on his way back to the office today." She chuckled.

"Oh well you can neve be too careful I guess." He looked at his hands.

"Thank you for informing me none the less. Good to know I have someone looking out for me on this street. I honestly don't think Miss Edner can see period." Derek snorted into his tea.

"Miss Edner is the one in the yellow house right?" Ziva nodded. "Prejudice old bat. When she first saw me she told me she was gonna keep an eye on me cause she won't have no gangbangers on her street." They both laughed and Ziva responded.

"At least yours was only a gangbanger for the first two months I lived her I am pretty sure she thought I was a terrorist because of my accent." Ziva explained. They both laughed at that as well. Derek's eye caught on something gold and he reached for it. It was a NCIS badge.

"You're NCIS?" He asked.

"Um yes. I work at headquarters on the Navy base in DC." She replied. Derek reached into his back pocket and pulled out his FBI id and showed her.

"BAU." He stated. "I work at Quantico." Seeing Ziva's eyes widen he chuckled. "Don't hold it against me."

"No it's not that I just didn't realize you were that Derek Morgan! I have heard rumors about your team and their abilities."

"Prey tell." Derek said.

"I have heard all the way from amazing agents to scum of the earth that come in and steal the glory for all the cases." She laughed.

"Well I don't know about stealing cases but I do work with some pretty amazing people." He laughed.

"You and me both." Ziva said glancing at a picture of seven people one being Ziva at what looked like a Thanksgiving dinner. They sat and chatted a few more minutes about random things like the weather and Derek's house and made a few jabs about the other's agency until Derek looked out at the sun set.

"Wow I should probably get out of here I don't want to take e up too much of your evening." He stood to leave and she followed suit. She walked him to the door and said good-bye then closed the door behind him. She watched through the peephole until he disappeared from view then, smiling, went back to the kitchen and dug around for something to eat.

Derek smiled as he walked back into the house and quickly got to work.


End file.
